Science of Slink: The Evidence Based Pole Podcast with Dr. Rosy Boa

Dr. Rosy Boa of Slink Through Strength
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

Hi pole dancer, ready to nerd out? 🤓 Then you're in the right place. I'm your host, Dr. Rosy Boa -- pole dancer, teacher and proud meganerd -- and in this podcast we dive into the pole dance research & talk to experts to learn how to improve our pole dance lives... through science! This podcast is a production of Slink Through Strength online pole studio, which can be found at slinkthroughstrength.com.

  1. Sep 18

    Too slippery on the pole? Too sticky? Here’s why! The SCIENCE of pole grip

    Did you know there’s a whole scientific field that just studies friction?? It’s true! And we can apply a lot of those findings to help us stick better to the pole. In this episode we’ll dig into why you might be too slippery or too sticky by focusing on friction and research from tribology (much of it drawn from prosthetics studies). We’ll talk about how skin, fat and muscle all contribute to grip and how to navigate each.  I also break down all the different types of grips and when/why you might want to use each one. Want to train with me? Check out the Science of Slink membership: https://scienceofslink.com/ Citations:  Gerhardt LC, Strässle V, Lenz A, Spencer ND, Derler S. Influence of epidermal hydration on the friction of human skin against textiles. J R Soc Interface. 2008 Nov 6;5(28):1317-28. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2008.0034. PMID: 18331977; PMCID: PMC2607440.  Xu, Z., Sun, H., Tang, W., Fang, X., Kosimov, A. A., & Mamadamon, A. (2026). Influence of muscle fatigue on pain based on friction and brain activation. Tribology International, 112362.  (I didn’t talk about it, but this is a fun blog post about tribology: https://www.stle.org/files/TLTArchives/2024/12_December/Feature.aspx) Chapters: 00:00 Sticky vs Slippery  00:38 Science of Slink Membership 02:17 Friction and Tribology Basics 03:34 Skin Layers and Hydration 06:16 Body Fat and Surface Area 10:10 Muscle Tension and Fatigue 15:32 Grip Aids Explained 20:25 Wrap Up

  2. Sep 4

    10 Tips to Set up a Home Pole Dance Space

    Dr. Rosy Boa of the Science of Slink podcast shares 10 key considerations for building a home pole space based on a decade of home training, emphasizing that a home setup will differ from a studio. She covers choosing reputable pole brands and safe installation (permanent vs. tension-mounted), proper placement under structural supports, using boards to distribute weight in plaster construction, checking tension with temperature swings, and shaking the pole before use. She discusses flooring choices for different styles, avoiding gaps that can catch toenails, and keeping cleaning tools nearby. Other topics include optional open wall space, storing alcohol/grip and towels, safety gear like mats and self-spotting bands, additional props (chairs, blocks, weights), airflow/humidity/temperature control, lighting options, music setup considerate of neighbors, and filming considerations like corner placement and fisheye lenses. Chapters: 00:00 Home Pole Setup Intro 01:05 Studio Versus Home Reality 01:55 Pole 05:43 Flooring 07:39 Wall Space 08:28 Storing essentials 09:20 Safety equipment 10:30 Props 11:55 HVAC 14:00 Lighting 15:46 Music 16:34 Filming 17:48 Recap And Final Thoughts  Iris Sparrow lighting tips: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcRKQnJhoX4/ Want to work with me? Check out my virtual Science of Slink membership at ScienceOfSlink.com  ⁠ 🤎 All-level pole technique⁠ 🤎 Discover amazing-feeling freestyle flow⁠ 🤎 Accessible, equipment-optional conditioning⁠ 🤎 Taught live, recordings always included⁠ ⁠ Sliding scale pricing available.⁠

  3. Aug 21

    What to do if You’re Scared of Freestyling

    Freestyling in pole dance can feel frightening and physically stressful, often driven by fear of failure and harsh self-criticism. This episode offers some practical strategies to cope with that. Drawing on sports psychology, we’ll talk about research (Ceccarelli et al., 2019) showing self-compassion predicts better stress recovery and fewer maladaptive thoughts after recalled sports failure, and use Neff’s (2003) framework of self-compassion: mindfulness (noticing thoughts without over-identifying), common humanity (remembering others struggle too), and self-kindness (treating yourself as you would a friend). We’ll also go through some specific strategies that you can use in the moment to help cultivate more self-compassion. Citations:  Bluth, K., Gaylord, S. A., Campo, R. A., Mullarkey, M. C., and Hobbs, L. 2016. Making friends with yourself: a mixed methods pilot study of a mindful self-compassion program for adolescents. Mindfulness. 7:479–92. doi: 10.1007/s12671-015-0476-6  Ceccarelli, L. A., Giuliano, R. J., Glazebrook, C. M., & Strachan, S. M. (2019). Self-compassion and psycho-physiological recovery from recalled sport failure. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 1564.  Neff, K. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and identity, 2(2), 85-101. Chapters: 00:00 Freestyle Fear Is Real 00:57 Coach Disclaimer And Shoutouts 01:48 Why We Fear Failure 04:13 Research On Self Compassion 06:19 What is Self Compassion? 07:25 Mindfulness And Meditation 10:55 Common Humanity And Community 13:06 Self Kindness In Practice 14:51 Tools To Calm And Reset 17:53 Final Encouragement And Wrap Up

  4. Aug 7

    Stronger Shoulders for Pole Dance

    Dr. Rosy Boa explains why pole dancers need strong, stable shoulders for hanging, spinning, climbing, and inverted work, outlining shoulder anatomy and key movement demands. She reviews general strength patterns used in pole—horizontal and vertical push/pull—and emphasizes the importance of isometric straight-arm hanging strength. For overhead stability, she highlights conditioning the rotator cuff via external rotation to keep the humeral head securely positioned during arm flexion, offering a simple external rotation drill. She also stresses scapular upward rotation for full overhead range and stability and concludes that shoulder mobility requires stability training to pole safely and long-term. Learn more about the Science of Slink membership & join now: https://scienceofslink.com/ The book I reference (HIGHLY recommend!):  Emily Scherb, D. P. T. (2018). Applied anatomy of aerial arts: an illustrated guide to strength, flexibility, training, and injury prevention. North Atlantic Books.  https://www.thecircusdoc.com/book/ Chapters: 00:00 Why Shoulders Matter 01:51 Shoulder Anatomy Basics 03:55 Push Pull Patterns 05:44 Vertical Strength Demands 07:22 Hanging Isometrics 08:44 Rotator Cuff Focus 11:36 Scapular Upward Rotation 15:51 Key Takeaways 16:27 Mobility Needs Stability 17:48 Wrap Up And Resources

  5. Jul 24

    What happens when you take a break from pole?

    Dr. Rosy Boa discusses what happens when you take a break from pole, covering both physiological detraining and the emotional side of returning. She emphasizes not beating yourself up and notes that feeling awful after missing one class can signal an unhealthy dependency, suggesting support for possible exercise addiction. Aerobic capacity tends to noticeably drop after about two weeks away, while strength loss is slower and depends on training status and age: very trained lifters may not show measurable 1RM decreases until around 32 weeks, untrained individuals can lose strength after a 10-week break, and adults 74–86 may see strength and balance declines after two weeks. Returning typically takes about half the break time, and strength is often easier to rebuild due to “muscle memory,” with evidence that people can catch up to peers who never took a break. Interested in training online with Rosy? Check out the Science of Slink membership: https://scienceofslink.com/ Chapters: 01:36 Be Kind About Breaks 04:40 Detraining Timelines Overview 09:41 Rebuilding and Muscle Memory 11:15 Catching Up After Breaks 13:38 Personal Trick Loss Story 15:31 Final Takeaways Citations:  Cumming, K.T., Reitzner, S.M., Hanslien, M., Skilnand, K., Seynnes, O.R., Horwath, O., Psilander, N., Sundberg, C.J. and Raastad, T. (2024), Muscle memory in humans: evidence for myonuclear permanence and long-term transcriptional regulation after strength training. J Physiol, 602: 4171-4193. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP285675  Encarnação, I. G., Viana, R. B., Soares, S. R., Freitas, E. D., de Lira, C. A., & Ferreira-Junior, J. B. (2022). Effects of detraining on muscle strength and hypertrophy induced by resistance training: A systematic review. Muscles, 1(1), 1-15.  Halonen EJ, Gabriel I, Kelahaara MM, Ahtiainen JP, Hulmi JJ. Does Taking a Break Matter-Adaptations in Muscle Strength and Size Between Continuous and Periodic Resistance Training. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2024 Oct;34(10):e14739. doi: 10.1111/sms.14739. PMID: 39364857.  Toraman, N. F., & Ayceman, N. (2005). Effects of six weeks of detraining on retention of functional fitness of old people after nine weeks of multicomponent training. British journal of sports medicine, 39(8), 565-568

  6. Jul 10

    Neurodivergence and Pole with Psychologist Gabby Desmond

    Dr. Rosy Boa hosts an episode of Science of Slink on neurodivergence and pole with neurodivergent psychologist and pole dancer Gabby Desmond. They define neurodivergence as a broad umbrella beyond autism and ADHD (including OCD, BPD, and learning disabilities like dyslexia) and discuss why neurodivergent people may be drawn to pole for its structure, predictability, community “parallel play,” and endless achievable challenges. They explore sensory processing and regulation through spinning, inversion, and aerial hammock, plus differences in interoception and pain that can affect conditioning, stretching, and injury risk. The conversation covers learning preferences (visual vs verbal cues), difficulties with right/left and choreography, managing ADHD/autistic boom-bust training cycles, focusing on core vocabulary over trick inflation, and using external cues and varied feedback to support motor learning. Gabby shares where to find her work at unfurlpsychology and on Instagram. Where to find Gabby:  Unfurl psychology: https://www.unfurlpsychology.com.au/  https://www.instagram.com/unfurl.psychology  Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 02:11 What Neurodivergence Means 03:51 Why Pole Attracts ND Folks 06:30 Sensory Seeking and Spinning 11:41 Dyslexia and Learning Pole 15:35 Learning Styles and Flow 18:41 Boom Bust Training Cycles 24:05 Interoception and Pain 25:45 Stretching and Hypermobility 29:53 Learning Through Feedback 38:36 Failure and Self Efficacy 41:22 Why Pole Community Works 42:42 Wrap Up and Links

  7. Jun 26

    Poling Safely in the Heat

    In this episode of 'Science of Slink,' Dr. Rosy Boa delves into what every pole dancer should know about exercising in extreme heat. Key topics include the physiological adaptations to heat acclimatization that typically occur within two weeks, the symptoms and handling of heat exhaustion versus heat stroke, and specific risk factors such as dehydration and medications. She also shares practical tips for pole dancers, such as managing equipment and grip issues, staying hydrated, and taking frequent breaks to avoid heat-related illnesses. Emphasis is placed on listening to one's body, recognizing the varied individual responses to heat, and prioritizing safety over performance. Chapters: 00:00 Summer Episode Intro 00:19 Heat Topic Overview 02:04 Sweat Evolution Rabbit Hole 03:13 Heat Acclimatization Science 07:33 Two Week Adaptations 10:25 Performance Mindset in Heat 11:46 Heat Exhaustion Signs 15:15 Heat Stroke Emergency 18:15 Risk Factors and Meds 22:59 Humidity and Cooling Gear 24:45 Pole Specific Heat Tips 27:54 Hydration and Towels 30:12 Final Safety Recap Citations/further reading Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, April 6). Heat exhaustion. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-exhaustion/symptoms-causes/syc-20373250 Howe, A. S., & Boden, B. P. (2007). Heat-related illness in athletes. The American journal of sports medicine, 35(8), 1384-1395. Nobel, G., Tribukait, A., Mekjavic, I. B., & Eiken, O. (2012). Effects of motion sickness on thermoregulatory responses in a thermoneutral air environment. European journal of applied physiology, 112, 1717-1723. Périard, J. D., Racinais, S., & Sawka, M. N. (2015). Adaptations and mechanisms of human heat acclimation: applications for competitive athletes and sports. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 25, 20-38. Sawka, M. N., Leon, L. R., Montain, S. J., & Sonna, L. A. (2011). Integrated physiological mechanisms of exercise performance, adaptation, and maladaptation to heat stress. Compr Physiol, 1(4), 1883-1928.

  8. Jun 12

    Hairs Whips that Feel Good

    Hair whips shouldn’t be a (literal!) pain in the neck, and in this episode we’ll break down how keep your neck feeling as good as possible as you explore whipping your hair. We’ll talk about safety and warning signs, have a brief into to neck anatomy and talk about about how to prepare the neck for hairwhips, both day-of warmups and longer-term strength and conditioning.  Chapters: 03:11 Neck Safety Red Flags 05:06 Neck Muscle Basics 08:15 More Than Movement 10:51 Warm Ups 19:59 Vestibular Training 21:22 Technique And Hair Tips23:09 Wrap Up And Takeaways

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About

Hi pole dancer, ready to nerd out? 🤓 Then you're in the right place. I'm your host, Dr. Rosy Boa -- pole dancer, teacher and proud meganerd -- and in this podcast we dive into the pole dance research & talk to experts to learn how to improve our pole dance lives... through science! This podcast is a production of Slink Through Strength online pole studio, which can be found at slinkthroughstrength.com.

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